Improvement in devices for detecting counterfeit coin



A. J. BAKER & J. W. SIMONTON. Device for Detecting Counterfeit Coin.

No. 202,691. Patented April 23, I878.

Fig. 1.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON J. BAKER, OF EDINBURG, AND JOHN W. SIMONTON, OF TAYLORSVILLE,INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR DETECTING COUNTERFEIT COIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,691, dated April23, 1878 application filed January 7, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AARON J. BAKER, of Edinburg, in the county ofJohnson, and JOHN W. SIMONTON, of Taylorsville, in the county ofBartholomew, all in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Detecting Counterfeit or Spurious Coin andMetals; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of our invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked there on, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a sectional view, of the invention.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for detecting spuriousgold and silver coins, and in the improved construction of the same, andmanner of applying the test, hereinafter more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claim.

The invention consists of a circular or other suitably-shaped piece ofzinc, provided with an opening in the center, the manner of operatingthe same being to place the test upon the coin to be tested and applyingthe tongue to the coin through the opening in the center of the piece ofzinc, and if the coin is pure, or nearly so, a very perceptible electricshock, accompanied by a decided metallic taste, will be experienced,which shock and taste diminish in intensity in proportion as the coin isalloyed with the baser metals, it being a wellknown fact that to producegalvanic action it is only necessary to form what is called a galvaniccirclethat is, a certain order of substances capable of excitingelectricity.

The electrical effects of a simple galvanic circle are in general toofeeble to be perceived, except by very delicate tests. However, thetongue and other sensitive parts of the body, being very easilyaffected, afford a simple and convenient mode of putting the process inoperation.

The most convenient shape for a coin-tester of this description is adisk having a central opening, the circular form having no projectionsto wear holes in the purse or pocket, and the central opening presentingthe largest amount of surface in the most convenient manner for thepurpose specified.

In this test, although the quantity of electricity set in motion is verysmall, it is quite sufficient to produce very considerable effects;hence the great desirability and convenience of the above manner oftesting coins, involving no complicated balances or delicate instrumentsof any kind, it being easily operated by a child, or even those peopledeprived of sight, who could not use any of the tests ordinarily appliedin such cases.

Having thus described our invention and the process involved of testingcoins, what we claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

A coin-tester consisting of a disk of zinc having an opening in thecenter, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we hereby affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

AARON J. BAKER.

JOHN W. SIMON TON.

Witnesses:

ROBERT W. MEDKIRK, PETER A. CANARY.

